Abhudaya

What is Abhyudaya?

Abhyudaya is a unique pedagogic innovation that aims to foster social responsibility among B-school students through experiential learning.

Abhyudaya is a 1.5 credit, year-long mentorship programme through which first year MBA students at SPJIMR mentor bright, underprivileged children (whom we call Sitaras) from the neighbouring schools.

SPJIMR is the first, and perhaps the only B-school in India, to launch a mentorship programme aimed at preparing its participants for top management roles as part of the curriculum.

Abhyudaya is a major differentiator among other business schools and in the industry.

It helps us understand urban poverty better. The bonding that we develop with the child is really special.

Course Objectives

Through the Abhyudaya programme, MBA students can:

Learn mentoring and leadership skills

Become socially aware, empathetic future managers

Understand urban poverty, and the challenges and opportunities it offers to the business sector

Experience the joy of growing together

Through the Abhyudaya programme, Sitaras can:

Realise their full potential, both in their work as well as in their personal lives

Become financially self-supporting and self-reliant so that they can help their family and community in turn

Develop sensitivity to cultural diversity, harmonious community living and gender equality

Growing Together

The mentoring interaction between the MBA student and the Sitara provides rich opportunities for learning and growth. Some feedback from our participants:

“Often I had some learnings to impart to my mentee. At the end of our meetings, I realised that some these things if I employed myself would help me immensely!”

“When my mentee started sharing her personal life problems with me, I had to understand and advise her on the things I had never gone through myself. It gave me a different perspective about life.”

“Most of my visits to my Sitara's house included playing carrom together. And I was really bad at it. She would teach me tricks and tactics and she used to feel so proud. During those moments, it felt like we shared the bond of siblings and not that of mentor-mentee.”

"My mentee has faith in me. Whenever we meet she tells me about her achievements. She is very frank. It is a pleasure seeing her manage with limited resources and still come out with flying colours.”

“My Sitara Samreen is now the captain of her basketball team, does 'kushti', and participates in plays, all the while being great at studies. This also made me realise how I had left things I loved doing and that I should pick them up as well."

Reach and recognition

Today, Abhyudaya covers over 70 local schools in Mumbai’s K-West Ward. We currently support 411 Sitaras and 112 Pre-Sitaras. The programme provides financial grants to Sitaras and conducts a year-round on-going development programme to help them develop their skills.

Abhyudaya’s unique approach has received national and global recognition.

In 2012, we received the "Big Idea to Solve Big Problem" Award from GMAC, the body which holds the GMAT examination.

In 2013, the programme won the jury award at the World Education Summit "Innovation by Management Institute” category.

In 2015, Abhyudaya won the gold award at the Indian Management Conclave under the theme of “Innovations in Teaching Methodology”.

Giving to Abhyudaya

Thank you for considering a donation to Abhyudaya. Your gift will support and help grow the Abhyudaya network and enable us reach out to more students from economically disadvantaged sections.

Donations in India are fully tax exempt under section 80G(2)(iiif) of the Income Tax Act.

Donate Online

For Domestic Donors : You may donate online using your bank account or credit/debit card

For International Donors : You may donate using your credit card (VISA/Mastercard)

Please write your cheque in favour of ‘Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’, with your full name, address and PAN number to help us send you the receipt/ tax exemption certificate. You can mail it to the following address: